Adjustable support



Feb. 5 25.924.`

J. L. SUNDERS ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed July 5l. 1920 landen? n Patented F eb. 5, 1924.

ADJUSTHBLE SUPPORT.

:Application: led .TnLy 31,

To/ all whom t may concern.'

Be it. known. that I., JOHN L. SAUNDERS, of` lashingtion, in. the District-ot Columbia, have invented'` certain new and. usefull Improvements' in ikdjusta'ble Supporta, of which the follow-ing is a specification.

This invention. isapplicableto all forms of supportsy wherein itisydesignedy to adjust the positionvof one part thereoffby means of a. screw construction, andl -is especially. designed for use with church. furniture.

In churches, it` has heretofore been customary. to usellectenns and prayer book. rests that either `have' no fmeans of. adjustment, or inconvenient thumb screw or pin andl socket adjustment, which makes it necessaryA to adjust these standards Abefore beginning the services. This arrangement greatly inconveniences a clergyman who may be visiting a church and who is not of the same height or has not the same vision as the clergyman who last used the standards. rPhe more convenient type of screw adjustment has not been used partly because of its renderingI the standard unstable when raised beyond a certain limit (particularly in the case of the lectern) and partly because of its ungainly appearance particularly after dust has accumulated upon the screw. j

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the ditliculties set forth and to provide a screw type of support which will be stable and will present a harmonious appearance.

It will be understood that what is herein said with reference to church furniture will apply equally to other forms' of supports such as reading desks, lecturers desks, book supports, and tables.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional form of lectern, partly in section 'and partl broken away to facilitate illustration. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a detail of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is. a side elevation of a conventional form of lectern illustrating a modification of the internal construction for securing adjustment, partly in section and partly broken away to facilitate illustration. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail vertical section in the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a cross section in the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. l, the base 11 has an 1921). `Serial' No.; 4002411 upwardly' extending tubular standard 12 whichr` is internally screw. threaded,A as shown at 13,. to receive-the screw-threadedfrod 1.4 upon ywhich the reading desk or "other plat-l form 215 is supported. The vtubular standardafn'd the cooperating.` rodmay be of. any desired lengths to provide for varying heights of desks.A

Closely Aencircling the tubular standard 12 and concentric with -the rod 14, is a sheath lwhich is provided with a flange. 17, and an 4apertured head 18 which. extends Linto the base of the. desk or platform 15, as shown.A The rod 14- extends through the aperture in thel head 18 ofthe sheath 16 and. is pinnedtheretotby meansfof the-transi versepin 19. rlhe sheath is secured to the desk in any convenient manner, here shown to be by screws 20.

This sheath has a close sliding fit upon the standard. Thus, the stability of the desk or platform is at all times assured, no matter what the height thereof may be, because the sheath has no loose play to permit any unsteadiness or sidewise movement of the desk or platform. Also the frictional engagement of the sheath with the standard is suflicient to prevent the precipitate o-r untimely lowering of the desk or platform from any xed position and hence, maintains the desk in any ad'usted position and obviates the necessity o a special lock or clamp. Still another advantage of the sheath 16 is to conceal from view the screw threaded rod 14 and to present instead of the unsightly screw thread a covering which is symmetrical with the remainder of the furniture and presents a pleasing effect to the eye. This is particularly desirable where the lectern is highly ornamented, in which event the sheath can be ornamented in keeping with the general design of the lectern. Likewise this sheath protects the rod 14 from dust accumulation.

The sheath is shown of the same length as the screw rod so that it does not limit the downward adjustment thereof, and always cooperates with the standard throughout the adjustment of the desk.

Referring to the modication illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 .and 5, the base 111, has a tubular standard 112. It will be noted that this standard is not internally screw threaded throughout its length, but only at its upper end. Near its upper end the standard is provided with an annular shoulder 113 (best shown in Fig. 4), upon which rests a nut 114. The nut is permanently secured to the standard by brazing or otherwise so that it is in effect a part of the standard, and constitutes a threaded portion thereof.

Screwing in this nut is a rod 115, which extends at one end through an aperture 116 in the base of the desk or platform 117 and is provided with locking nuts 118 and 119 above and below the base of the desk or platform respectively. A collar 12() is pinned by pin 121 to the lower end of the rod 115. This collar slides on the interior of the tubular standard 112, and in addition to guiding the up and down movement of the rod 115 acts to steady the desk, and also serves as a Stop to prevent winding the rod 115 out of the standard 112. A sheath 122 having a flange 123 is secured to the base of the desk or platform by the screws 124. This sheath serves the same purposes in this modified construction yas heretofore described with reference to Fig. 1.

ln assembling the lectern of this modified form, and for the purposes of repair,

the bottom of the tubular standard 112 is open, as shown at 125, but in order to exclude dust, a plate 126 is provided for closing this opening. It is countersunk in the base, and is secured thereto by means of bolts 127.

I claim An adjustable support having a base with an upwardly extending standard having internal screw threads, a platform, and a screw threaded rod extending within said standard and coopera-ting with the screw threads thereof, said rod being secured at its uppery end to the platform, in combination with a hollow sheath secured to said platform surrounding the screw threaded rod and of sufficient diameter to encircle and engage frictionally the exterior surface of the standard throughout the range of the adjustment of the screw threaded rod, whereby the sheath acts to prevent premature turning of the screw threaded rod and the inadvertent lowering of the platform.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOHN L. SAUNDERS. 

